Vol. 544 No. 2
35 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Science the percentage of primary schools and secondary schools which are providing drugs awareness programmes; the percentage of schools at each level where staff have undergone specific training in this regard; the targets he has set for the provision of such programmes in all schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28257/01]
Drugs awareness programmes have been introduced into 94% of primary and 67% of post-primary schools through the Walk Tall and On my Own Two Feet programmes. Up to 3,000 schools at primary level have received detailed educational resource materials and a comprehensive in-career development programme for Walk Tall. In the case of On my Own Two Feet, 1,635 teachers from 522 post-primary schools received resource materials and were trained to implement the programme. Targets for the provision of such programmes in all schools have been set in two contexts.
Specific measures are being put in place to ensure that all schools within the local drugs task force areas, at both primary and post-primary levels, implement substance misuse prevention programmes. Support officers will shortly be recruited to assist schools with this work.
In the case of all schools, it is intended that every primary school will incorporate substance misuse prevention programmes within the broad context of social, personal and health education, SPHE, by September 2003. The primary curriculum support programme, PCSP, is organising, on a phased basis, in-career development programmes for all teachers in SPHE. This work will be completed in June 2003 and implementation of the SPHE curriculum will commence in September 2003.
Since September 2000, SPHE, including substance misuse prevention, is being phased in to all schools at junior cycle, at post-primary level, over a three-year period. This work is being supported by an SPHE support service, which consists of a national co-ordinator and ten regional development officers. This service works in partnership with health promotion personnel in regional health boards.
